FOURTH COMMITTEE SAYS FURTHER BUDGET CUTS MUST NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

7 November 1996

Press Release
GA/SPD/92

FOURTH COMMITTEE SAYS FURTHER BUDGET CUTS MUST NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT ACTIVITIES OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION

19961107 Assembly Also Asked to Seek Protection of Traditional Means Of Communication, Even During Expanded Use of New Technologies

The General Assembly would express concern about proposals to further reduce the budget of the Department of Public Information (DPI) which might negatively affect its mandated activities, and it would request that the Secretary-General continue to support the DPI, by a draft resolution approved this afternoon by the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).

The text on United Nations public information policies and activities, was one of two draft resolutions recommended by the Committee on Information and approved this afternoon without a vote. The draft would have the Assembly request that the DPI review its publications to ensure cost-effective production and that each fulfilled an identifiable need. The Assembly would ask that when draft resolutions arise with information mandates -- other than texts recommended by the Committee on Information -- costs be identified for the DPI, including estimate man-hours, printing, publishing and material expenditures.

By the terms of that draft, which has 33 operative paragraphs, the Assembly would reaffirm the importance of the United Nations Information Centres, particularly in developing countries and countries in transition; request continued integration of information centres with other United Nations field offices, whenever feasible; and note the impact of new technologies on the fulfilment of the objectives of the centres.

While encouraging the DPI to utilize new information technologies, the Assembly would underline the continued importance of the use of traditional and mass media channels for disseminating information. Member States would be invited to submit ideas on how to develop communication infrastructures and capacities in developing countries, and the Secretariat would be asked to ensure the involvement of the DPI in the planning of peace-keeping and other field operations.

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By the terms of the draft resolution on information in service of humanity, the Assembly would urge cooperation to reduce disparities in information flows, by increasing assistance for the development of communication infrastructures and capacities in developing countries. Such efforts should aim at enabling those countries and their public, private or other media to develop their own information and communication policies freely and independently, while ensuring journalistic freedom, promoting training and enhancing regional cooperation.

Assistant Secretary-General for Public Information Samir Sanbar, addressing the Committee as it concluded its discussion, expressed appreciation for the Committee's continued support for the DPI. Reviewing several issues raised by delegations, he said studies of the workings of United Nations Information Centres and of the Dag Hammarskjold Library were continuing; future public information efforts relating to decolonization were being planned; and efforts continued to fulfil the United Nations information mandate relating to the question of Palestine.

On the use of new technologies, Mr. Sanbar said that although the United Nations was on the road to the information super-highway, it was steadfastly committed to reaching the mainstream audience. "While looking to the future, the United Nations information system would keep its feet solidly on the ground", he said.

Statements were made by the representatives of Cuba, Iran, Gabon, Nigeria, United States, Israel, Nepal, Malta and Jamaica.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 11 November, to begin consideration of international cooperation on the peaceful uses of outer space.

Committee Work Programme

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of questions relating to information.

The Committee has before it the report of the Information Committee (document A/51/21) which contains two draft resolutions. By the draft on information in service of humanity, the General Assembly would urge States and other organizations, in the context of what has been termed "a new world information and communication order, seen as an evolving and continuous process", to cooperate and interact with a view to reducing existing disparities in information flow by increasing assistance for development of communications infrastructure in developing countries.

By the second draft resolution, on United Nations public information policies and activities, the Assembly would request the management of the Department of Public Information (DPI) to review its publications and proposals for publication to ensure that they fulfil an identifiable need, avoid duplication and are produced in a cost-effective manner. Also by the text, which has 33 operative paragraphs, the Assembly would reaffirm the importance attached by Member States to the role of United Nations Information Centres in disseminating information in all parts of the world, particularly in developing countries and countries in transition.

By other provisions, the Secretary-General would be requested to conduct an evaluation of the functioning of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library infrastructure, operations, and staffing and budgetary situation, with a view to improving services, and the Assembly would express its full support for wide and prompt coverage of United Nations activities through a continuation of United Nations press releases in both working languages of the Secretariat. The Assembly would request that the DPI continue to ensure the greatest possible access for United Nations guided tours, and that displays in public areas be kept as informative, up-to-date and relevant as possible. (For further details, see Press Release GA/SPD/90 of 6 November.)

Statements

JOSÉ BORGES (Cuba) said the DPI and the Committee should consider seriously the conclusions of the Conference of Ministers of Information of the Non-Aligned countries in Abuja which could not be ignored. Present technological imbalances between developing and developed countries required the United Nations to renew its commitment to the new world information order. Developing countries had difficulty in acquiring new information technologies; that had brought about a distorted view of those countries.

He said the DPI deserved appreciation for its work, but more information

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should be disseminated on decolonization and on Palestine. The United Nations Information Centres must be strengthened. Merging them with other offices would not bring about greater dissemination of information. Technological superiority should not involve imposing the views of others on the developing countries. He said distorted information continued to be disseminated; the problem was compounded by aggressive political interests. Cuba continued to be the target of hostile television and radio broadcasts. Many organizations had condemned those broadcasts, he added. His country reiterated its right to respond to those broadcasts with the means available to it.

JALAL SAMADI (Iran) said global disparities between developing and developed countries in communication infrastructures had caused distortions and flawed information. Developing countries were largely incapable of disseminating their views, while dominant media tended not to respect their culture and moral views. The United Nations and the Committee of Information should begin deliberations on how to regulate the flow of information and how to clean cyberspace and satellite broadcasting of violence and immoral materials.

He said the DPI should also continue disseminating information through traditional media, which remained the primary media of most developing countries. He shared the concern of the representative of Costa Rica concerning the lack of due attention to the issue of decolonization by the DPI. The Department should take measures through all avenues to publicize the work of the United Nations in this area. The resumption of press releases on the Special Committee on Decolonization seemed essential to provide access to non-members of that committee.

DIEUDONNE NDIAYE (Gabon) said an independent body had been established in his country to support freedom of the press. He noted with appreciation the work of the United Nations and, notably, of the DPI during the fiftieth anniversary of the Organization. The primary job of the DPI was to provide coverage of all United Nations activities; however, there was a large gap existing between the use of French and English by the Department. He said that situation should be considered when considering staffing of the DPI.

The DPI must also transmit to Member States information on its work, he said. That task was being carried out well by United Nations Information Centres. He repeated his call for the opening of an information centre in his country. The time had come, he said, to give United Nations Radio the technology to compete with other radio stations. The DPI must have all the means to carry out its task. Gabon supported the establishment of an international code of conduct for dissemination of information, taking into account the needs of the developing countries.

ABDULLAHI B. GWARY (Nigeria) said his Government agreed with the

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statement by the representative of Costa Rica, made for the Non-Aligned Movement. He commended the DPI for carrying out its tasks effectively, even under financial constraints. Despite that good work, there was room for improvement. He noted that the DPI had stopped issuing press releases covering the activities on the Special Committee on Decolonization; the United Nations should, instead, increase its coverage of decolonization efforts.

He said a large part of the developing world would be further marginalized if new communication technologies were over-used. Despite efforts to establish a new world information order, no progress had been made; the struggle should be intensified. The publication of "African Recovery" had supported the development efforts of Africa and had helped correct the misconception about African countries. He said conventional and traditional means of communications should not be discarded by United Nations Information Centres or other United Nations departments.

WALTER DOUGLAS (United States) said the United States was committed to making all efforts to assist the DPI in meeting the challenges of today's information society. New technologies had radically transformed the way information was spread in many parts of the world. The United States complemented the DPI for its efforts to utilize the vast resources of the Internet, through the establishment of a United Nations home page.

The proposal for the Dag Hammarskjöld Library was simple, he said. Technological advances had radically changed the way libraries did business. Today, documents could be accessed through computers shortly after their release, saving both time and money. In order to make the transition to a more technologically based system, the Library needed the benefit of expertise in the area. Therefore, the United States looked forward to an independent library specialist reviewing the operations of the Dag Hammarskjöld Library and making recommendations.

He said the review of the operations of United Nations Information Centres should be conducted in light of new technologies, United Nations depository libraries and their distance from Headquarters. With current financial restrictions, hard choices would have to made about the allocations of funds. The review should focus on international centres in the developing world. As developing countries had limited access to alternatives created by technologies, the information centres would remain the vital means of disseminating information in those countries.

The United States shared the concern of DPI about the fiscal impact of mandates that originated outside of the Committee. He therefore supported the requirement contained in the draft resolution before the Committee to identify the costs arising from mandates other than those contained in the resolution. That would allow a review of which activities were within the DPI's budget and

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expertise.

RON ADAM (Israel) said his country recognized the importance of the free flow of information. It was up to each country to find its own delicate balance between free use of information and the circumstances where information sources might be used to endanger the rights of individuals. The use of information must be free of political motives. His country was working for the advancement of computer programmes in educational and informational technology. It was assisting developing countries to advance their technology in various fields.

He said the use of computers and information links to serve the cause of peace was at the forefront of Israel's national goals. Institutes were developing new ways to conduct joint studies between universities and research centres for the promotion of peace and dialogue. Information sources were being developed in the areas of economics, industry and agriculture for the benefit of the entire Middle East. He called upon Israel's Arab neighbours to put aside disputes and join in promoting education and cooperation between people, free of political calculation.

PADMA BHANDARY (Nepal) said that since the DPI functioned as the main communication arm of the United Nations, it was encouraging to see the Department actively engaged in collecting and disseminating information on the Organization's activities. The DPI's ongoing reform and restructuring should enhance the quality of the public information it delivered. However, the priorities on the agenda of the Department must not be adversely affected by reform efforts.

He said the DPI's publications on peace-keeping, economic and social matters were commendable. The United Nations press releases were extremely useful and should be continued. He welcomed the DPI's increased use of CD-ROM media. However, traditional print and radio medium should not be discontinued. He repeated his request for United Nations Radio broadcasts in the Nepali language.

He said the failures of United Nations peace-keeping efforts had been highlighted by the international press, while the accomplishments had been neglected. Criticisms were often not based on objective and accurate information. It was important to win support of the local population in a mission area through the dissemination of accurate information. The establishment of an inter-departmental working group on media strategy for peace-keeping should be considered. All forms of disinformation about the United Nations must be countered with accurate information.

International cooperation in the development of communication infrastructure and capacity in developing countries was vital; the recent

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meeting of the Ministers of Information of the Non-Aligned Movement had highlighted the need for North-South cooperation to bridge that gap.

JOSEPH CASSAR (Malta) said the DPI had responsibility for disseminating information about the Organization's work, as well as for being receptive to public perception of it. Increasing demands for information were placed on the Department, and by Member States striving to stay abreast of information technology. The DPI programmes on peace-keeping operations remained crucial. The availability of information often determined the ability of the international community to respond.

The Department's actions showed a desire to rectify the imbalance in the availability of information and communication technology. The strengthening of its links to the information media had enhanced efforts to reach civil society. The Department was expected to do more with less. Further cuts in funding caused legitimate concern. The effect of the cuts would overrule the mandate of the Organization.

He commended the Department's programs for the Palestinian people. The full scope of the mandate for that programme had suffered, and he urged the Department to focus on the full scope of its mandate. Freedom of information could help bridge the divide between people and help foster cooperation and peace.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the sophisticated advances made in the information era had been accomplished at great cost. Technological innovations were concentrated in developed countries and were dominated by wealthy and powerful interests. For the most part, they were beyond the reach of many developing countries. The disparity in access to and use of sophisticated information technology would no doubt cause the path of progress to the twenty-first century to be uneven. In years to come, if care was not taken, the international community might find some nations grappling with alarming levels of illiteracy and ignorance, while other countries quibbled over access to telephones, computers and the Internet.

Available technologies must be harnessed for the betterment of all people. Literacy and a thirst for access to information could only fuel greater deployment of new technologies. The efforts must be supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other United Nations bodies, as well as by non-governmental organizations and governments to initiate programmes to improve access to information technology in developing countries. The United Nations must lead the way in applying and demonstrating the global impact of advanced communications programmes and information systems.

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Today, some 120 missions to the United Nations were connected to the system established by the UNDP and now had access to the United Nations Databases and the Internet, she said. Documents were available through the optical disc system. That progress was the result of very positive moves on the part of the DPI. She urged the DPI and other departments to collaborate with the private sector and governments on innovative and cost-effective advances which could be made. The United Nations Information Centres must be supported if the United Nations were to meet its global mission. The DPI should explore ways and means of creating information mechanisms in UNDP offices in order to promote, cost effectively, a greater understanding of the United Nations in areas were information centre operations were inadequate.

Action on Draft Texts

The Committee, taking action jointly on the two drafts before it, approved, without votes, the draft resolution on information in service of humanity and the draft resolution on the United Nations public information policies and activities.

Closing Remarks

SAMIR SANBAR, Assistant Secretary-General for Public Information, said that as the Committee concluded its review of topics relating to information, he wished to note some points raised during the discussion. Currently, a study was being conducted on the United Nations Information Centres. Mr. Sanbar said he had noted the concern expressed by the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, among others, regarding the process of integration of United Nations Information Centres. The DPI, being aware of that concern, was keeping the matter under consideration.

The study regarding the Dag Hammarskjöld Library was still under way. It would be conducted in an open and transparent manner, taking into account the views of Member States.

Turning to the matter of new technologies, he said that even if the United Nations was on the road to the information super-highway, it was steadfastly committed to reaching the mainstream. While looking to the future, the United Nations information system would keep its feet solidly on the ground. Also, the matter of the use of languages was being considered.

Noting the concern raised about information dissemination on issues relating to decolonization, he said future work was planned in that area. He noted that today alone, however, some 300 United Nations documents relating to decolonization could be accessed through the Internet.

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Noting that many had called upon the United Nations to work to fulfil its information mandate as outlined in General Assembly resolutions relating to the question of Palestine, he said that many efforts to that end were under way. Citing issues such as training, media seminars and fact-finding missions, he said work in all areas continued. The United Nations had already succeeded in training some Palestinian professionals; while allocation of resources to that effort had decreased, the work was continuing.

He closed by thanking delegations for the support they had expressed for the work of the DPI. He said the staff of the DPI was its main resource -- with 80 per cent of the Department's budget spent on staff costs -- and the staff would be greatly motivated by the words of support.

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